The Scotch Plains Township Council voted unanimously to endorse the application of High Rise Botanicals (HRB) Group, which includes Scotch Plains native and local business owner Sean Flannery, who spoke at the meeting.
The group is seeking to apply to the state for a medical marijuana dispensary that would be located at the site of the San Giuliano property on Route 22 East.
Previously, the property was targeted by the Wawa chain, which proposed building a convenience store/gas station at the site located where Route 22 and Mountain Ave. meet in Scotch Plains. Wawa encountered fierce neighborhood opposition and, ultimately, had its application rejected by the Zoning Board. Several local neighborhood residents involved in that campaign also spoke at Tuesday's meeting to express their disapproval of the location for the proposed medical marijuana facility.
HRB plans to have a dispensary in Scotch Plains service central NJ and will have a grow facilty in southern NJ. The dispensaries will also engage in the sale of accessories that seek to better administer the medicinal and therapeutic benefits of medical marijuana. The sale of the property to the group is contingent on the approval for the dispensary.
Flannery told the Scotch Plains Council that the 4,000 sq. ft. facility would look like a medical facility and will have physicians on staff.